<p>I had a choice between Swarthmore and Reed, too. In the end, the main reason I picked Swarthmore was becasue it was more affordable, but I also liked Swarthmore’s campus more. Reed just felt too small when I visited. Then again, Swarthmore became very small for me very quickly. The fact that Philadelphia was nearby was also a factor for me, but most people don’t go out to Philadelphia much either… I would agree with vonlost’s advice. It’s more or less impossible for anyone to have any idea of what your experiences at each college will turn out to be, so just pick one based on whatever information you have. I’ve found it hard, when I was visiting Swarthmore, to talk to actual students there, unless you go to some kind of visitation or program specifically for high school students who are trying to decide. Even then, you’ll only get a few people’s opinions, so you should take everything with a grain of salt. </p>